One-Row Buttonhole
The one-row buttonhole — credited to Barbara Walker — produces a horizontal buttonhole of any length in a single row, with no need for binding off and casting on across two rows.
Recommended A printable technique cheat-sheet for your knitting bag.
Method
Work to the buttonhole position. Bring the yarn to the front, slip the next stitch purlwise, return the yarn to the back. Slip the next stitch and pass the previous slipped stitch over (1 stitch bound off). Repeat across the buttonhole width. Slip the last bound-off stitch back to the left needle, turn the work, cast on the same number of stitches plus one using the cable cast on, turn back, slip the first stitch from the left needle and pass the cast-on stitch over. Continue across.
Why it is preferred
Cleaner than the two-row buttonhole. No need to wait for the next row to finish the cast on. The result is a tidy, sturdy horizontal buttonhole.
In partnership Tools and supplies that make this technique easier.
Sizing
Buttonhole width = button diameter minus one stitch. A 2 cm button needs a buttonhole 2 cm wide. Practice on a swatch — buttonhole proportions are easy to get wrong.
Spacing
Plan buttonholes evenly along the band. For a cardigan, place one at the bottom, one at the top, and the rest evenly between. Most patterns specify the buttonhole positions; if not, mark them with stitch markers before starting the band.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BO | bind off |
| CO | cast on |
| sl | slip purlwise |
Tips
- Use the cable cast on for the new stitches — it produces the firmest edge.
- Practice on a swatch to verify the buttonhole size matches your buttons.
- For very small buttonholes, the eyelet method (yo, k2tog) is faster.
In depth
The one-row buttonhole works by binding off across the buttonhole, then re-casting on the same number of stitches plus an anchor stitch in the same row. The technique avoids the loose loop that the older two-row method leaves on one side of the buttonhole.